Annapurna Circuit Trek — Fly Jomsom 12 Days

The 12-day Annapurna Circuit with Jomsom Flight is the modern standard for the circuit — taking the bus and jeep to Chame to bypass the lower jeep-road sections, completing the full highland circuit over Thorong La (5,416 m), and exiting from Jomsom by mountain flight to Pokhara. This is the itinerary that delivers the Annapurna Circuit's best elements — the Manang Valley, Thorong La, Muktinath, and the Kali Gandaki gorge — in the shortest responsible timeframe.

The Jomsom flight exit is a highlight in its own right: a 20-minute mountain flight above the Kali Gandaki gorge, with Dhaulagiri (8,167 m) and Annapurna I (8,091 m) on either side, descending into Pokhara — one of the most dramatic short commercial flights in the world. It eliminates the Muktinath-to-Beni descent (which is now largely on jeep road) and delivers you to Pokhara's lakeside in time for dinner on the same day you crossed the pass.

This itinerary is appropriate for trekkers with general fitness and no prior altitude experience, provided the acclimatisation days at Manang (3,519 m) are respected. The Thorong La crossing at 5,416 m is the high point — steep but non-technical, with no fixed ropes required in normal conditions.

Thorong La in Context

The Thorong La Pass is crossed by over 60,000 trekkers per year and is well-maintained with teahouse support to High Camp (4,849 m). The crossing takes 5–7 hours from High Camp to Muktinath on a typical day. Our guides carry emergency medication and supplemental oxygen as standard. The descent from the pass to Muktinath (1,600 m drop in 3 hours) is steep on the knees — we recommend trekking poles, which are available for rent in Manang.

Best seasons: October–November and March–May. Thorong La: Closed December–February in heavy snow. Max altitude: Thorong La 5,416 m.